“Staying Crazy To Keep From Going Insane” now available in retail locations.

September 30, 2011 (Cary, NC) – “Staying Crazy To Keep From Going Insane,” the new humor book by Cary, NC, author and blogger Cris Cohen, was officially released this month, and four Triangle area retail establishments have already signed on to stock it.

“It is really nice of these stores to support a local writer,” said Cohen, “especially one who doesn’t write about the current hot topic of the undead, such as a zombies, vampires, and members of Congress.”

“Staying Crazy To Keep From Going Insane” is a collection of humor columns Cohen, 40, wrote for several newspapers in California and new ones he’s written since he moved to Cary in 2008. He published the book through his own small press, Tyrannosaurus Max Press.

Janice Monaco, the owner of All Booked Up in Apex, explained why she’s enthusiastic about carrying Cohen’s new book:

“I took a chance a few years ago with opening my store. So with that came a local awareness for my community and what I could do to help other ‘little guys’ like me. Now that I’ve beaten the odds, I want to support local authors and artists in my store. The big chain stores don’t have someone like me, who believes in the author and his or her work. And my space for local authors’ work is showcased prominently. I pushed through the tough times and made it. Now it’s time for me to help others with the same goals. And Cris? He’s taken a chance and has something to say. He’s funny, smart, and his great voice shines through his work.”

About the subject matter of the columns, Cohen says: “Other people have great stories about big things that have happened to them. But for me, it’s like the label on a sweetener packet that just really catches my attention.”

As funny as the content is, the book has a serious purpose. Cohen will donate proceeds from sales to the Miracle League of the Triangle, a local baseball league for kids with special needs, including his own young son, Max.

In the middle of the book, a section of what appears to be advertisements suddenly appears. Cohen, who self-published the book, explains:

“These are not really ads, but sponsorships, acknowledgments of thanks to the business and individuals who gave one to help this book come to fruition. After all, this book was not underwritten by a large publishing house, or a small publishing house, or even a house where people occasionally use the world ‘publishing’ in conversation. Were it not for the help of the nice people on those pages I’m not sure it would have made it to print.”

The Kindle version of “Staying Crazy To Keep From Going Insane” is available on Amazon.com.

Cris Cohen is the author of the humor blog “Nothing In Particular,” the book “Staying Crazy To Keep From Going Insane,” and the humor columnist for the CaryCitizen.com. Born in Buffalo, NY, he grew up in a suburb of Los Angeles, eventually graduating from the University of Southern California. After a stint in rock radio in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, Cris started writing his humor column for a collection of California newspapers. He eventually gravitated toward the tech world and Silicon Valley, working for companies such as Netscape and Cisco Systems. Cris, his wife Michele, and their young son Max, moved to Cary, North Carolina, in 2008. Cris’ blog is available at http://criscohen.typepad.com. For more information on his book, visit www.stayingcrazy.com.